Method and apparatus for upgrading renewable oil stream

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for upgrading renewable oils stream are described. The method involves using a cooling stream surrounding the tip of the renewable feed line to prevent polymerization/coking. The cooling stream, which comprises gases or liquids that can be converted to valuable products such as olefins, flows into the FCC reaction zone where it mixes with the FCC feed stream and the renewable oil. The renewable oil can be atomized with an atomizing gas.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for upgrading a renewable feed stream comprising a renewable oil or a temperature sensitive feed and a fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) feed stream comprising:
 introducing the FCC feed stream into an FCC unit comprising an FCC reaction zone;   separately introducing the renewable feed stream into the FCC reaction zone through an outlet of a renewable feed line at the FCC reaction zone;   actively cooling and maintaining the renewable feed stream and the outlet of the renewable feed line at a temperature less than or equal to 100° C. substantially up to introduction of the renewable feed stream into the FCC reaction zone with a cooling stream, the cooling stream flowing into the FCC reaction zone and forming a mixture of the FCC feed stream, the renewable feed stream, and the cooling stream in the reaction zone, wherein the cooling stream comprises a light hydrocarbon having a temperature less than or equal to 100° C.; and   catalytically cracking the mixture of the FCC feed stream, the renewable feed stream, and the light hydrocarbon in the cooling stream in the presence of a particulate cracking catalyst in the reaction zone.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein separately introducing the renewable feed stream into the FCC reaction zone comprises:
 mixing the renewable feed stream and a first atomizing gas and injecting the mixture of the renewable feed stream and the first atomizing gas into the FCC reaction zone. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the first atomizing gas is introduced through an outlet of a first atomizing gas tube surrounding the renewable oil feed distributor. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the cooling stream flows through a cooling assembly into the FCC reaction zone, the cooling assembly comprising a cooling jacket surrounding the renewable feed line up to the outlet of the renewable feed line, an outlet of the cooling jacket located at the FCC reaction zone. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the light hydrocarbon comprises hydrocarbons having 1-6 carbon atoms, liquified petroleum gas, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the renewable feed stream is introduced into the reaction zone at a position less than 10 m from a position at which the FCC feed stream is introduced. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 introducing a second cooling stream into the renewable feed stream. 
 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the cooling stream is in the form of a gas or liquid. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the renewable feed stream is present in an amount up to 90%. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the renewable feed stream is present in an amount up to 50%. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the renewable feed stream comprises vegetable oil, pyrolysis oil, tall oil, tallow oil, recycled polymers, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the temperature of the cooling stream is less than or equal to 80° C. and wherein the renewable feed stream and the outlet of the renewable feed line are maintained at a temperature less than or equal to 80° C. substantially up to introduction of the renewable feed stream into the FCC reaction zone. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for upgrading a renewable oil feed stream and an FCC feed stream comprising:
 an FCC unit comprising an FCC reaction zone having a catalyst inlet, lift medium inlet, an FCC feed inlet, a renewable feed inlet, a cooling stream inlet, and a reaction mixture outlet;   a catalyst feed line having an inlet and an outlet, the catalyst feed outlet being in fluid communication with the catalyst inlet of the FCC reaction zone;   an FCC feed line having an inlet and an outlet, the FCC feed line outlet being in fluid communication with the FCC feed inlet of the FCC reaction zone;   a renewable feed line having an inlet and an outlet, the renewable feed line outlet being in fluid communication with renewable feed line inlet of the FCC reaction zone; and   a cooling assembly comprising a cooling jacket surrounding the renewable feed line, the cooling jacket comprising an inlet and an outlet, the cooling jacket outlet surrounding the outlet of the renewable feed line, the cooling jacket outlet being in fluid communication with the cooling stream inlet of the FCC reaction zone.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising:
 a first atomizing gas tube surrounding the renewable feed line and having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet of the first atomizing gas tube being in fluid communication with the renewable feed line outlet prior to the FCC reaction zone. 
 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the first atomizing gas tube is between the renewable feed line and the cooling jacket. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein the cooling jacket, the renewable feed line, and the first atomizing gas tube are concentric. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the renewable feed line inlet to the FCC reaction zone is less than 10 m from the FCC feed inlet to the FCC reaction zone. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the renewable feed line further comprises a cooling gas inlet. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising:
 an FCC atomizing gas tube surrounding the FCC feed line having an inlet and an outlet, the outlet of the FCC atomizing gas tube being in fluid communication with the FCC feed line outlet prior to the FCC reaction zone.